1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of data tape transport devices. The present invention specifically relates to optimizing dynamic reconfiguration-switching of motor windings in a brushless DC motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magnetic tape provides a means for physically storing data. As an archival medium, tape often comprises the only copy of the data. Tape may be used to restore data lost in a disk-drive crash. A tape drive is used to store and retrieve data with respect to the magnetic tape. An example of a tape drive is the IBM TotalStorage Enterprise Tape Drive 3592 manufactured by IBM Corporation. Tape drives are typically used in combination with an automated data storage library. For example, the IBM TotalStorage Enterprise Tape Library 3494 manufactured by IBM Corporation is an automated data storage library that may include one or more tape drives and data storage media for storing data with respect to the tape drives.
Tape drives frequently employ DC motors and feedback control systems with motor drivers for operating the DC motors, to produce well-controlled motion parameters such as position, velocity, and tape tension. While the motors rotate, a back electromotive force (“BEMF”) is produced by the tape drive electric motors. This BEMF voltage is produced because the electric motors generate an opposing voltage while rotating.
In tape drives such as the aforementioned IBM 3592 used in the Enterprise range, and the Linear Tape Open used in the mid-range, the current tape linear velocity is limited by the tape reel's angular-velocity. The tape reel's angular-velocity approaches a maximum when the BEMF produced by the reel motor approaches the voltage of the power supply to the reel motors. Tape drives typically operate from +5 and +12 V power supplies; therefore it is not possible to increase the power supply voltage to increase the tape reel angular-velocity. In light of the foregoing, a need exists for a mechanism by which tape reel angular-velocity may be increased in tape transport systems incorporating fixed-voltage power supplies.